Orville M. Winsand Lecture for Critical Studies in Art

Lecture Topic

The Wealth of Many Inseparables

Calling attention to a “global majority” rather than the historically fraught “Global South,” this lecture asks how art history might emphasize new centers of gravity. Drawing on the framework of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, the title of this lecture argues that the true wealth of human creativity lies not in rigid hierarchies or national boundaries, but in how artworks — especially those made for and in response to audiences in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Oceania —are themselves self-governing communities that operate independently of conventional systems of power. Works by artists like Symrath Patti, Pacita Abad, and Soeki Irodikromo offer alternative ways of understanding the world and inviting new forms of cultural engagement. The title’s reference to the Betsimisaraka people of Madagascar emphasizes the inseparability of these global artistic practices, encouraging a rethinking of art beyond the constraints of established frameworks.

About the Scholar

Joan Kee is Judy and Michael Steinhardt Director of the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. A specialist in modern and contemporary art, her books include Contemporary Korean Art: Tansaekhwa and the Urgency of Method (2013), Models of Integrity: Art and Law in Post-Sixties America (2019), and The Geometries of Afro Asia: Art beyond Solidarity (2023) which was awarded the 2024 Robert Motherwell Book Award for a publication in the history and criticism of modernism in the arts. A contributing editor to Artforum and an editor-at-large for the Brooklyn Rail, Kee’s work has appeared in numerous venues including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, LACMA, and the Guggenheim Museum.

School of Art Lecture Series

The Carnegie Mellon School of Art Lecture Series is made possible in part by Elizabeth (Thompson) and Thomas M. Cox (A’29) Distinguished Artists Funds, Robert L. Lepper Distinguished Lecture in Creative Inquiry, and Orville M. Winsand Lecture for Critical Studies. Carnegie Mellon makes every effort to provide accessible facilities and programs for individuals with disabilities. This publication can be made available in an alternate format upon request. For accommodations, contact the School of Art at schoolofart@cmu.edu or 412.268.2409. Lecture and event details are subject to change or cancellation.

Image: Zainab Reddy, “The Human Race (Or Maja),” 1962, Oil on canvas, w1820 x h905 mm. Courtesy of Iziko South African National Galler.